When a user seeks to connect to a non-3GPP access network, the user (e.g. a mobile device) may need to be authenticated with the 3GPP core network to access services, such as VoIP calling, that require core network elements. In one example, the access network may be a trusted or untrusted Wi-Fi network from the perspective of the core network, which may affect some of the parameters used for authentication.
One example of an authentication protocol that could be used to authenticate access network users to the core network is extensible authentication protocol (EAP). For example, EAP authentication can be used between the access network (e.g. a Wi-Fi access gateway (WAG)) and an AAA server in the core network if the signaling protocol used by the access and core networks to carry the authentication information is the same. However, access networks often use different signaling protocols, such as RADIUS, to carry authentication information than protocols, such as Diameter, used by AAA servers. In light of the different protocols and network nodes involved, there exists a need for seamlessly authenticating Wi-Fi and other non-3GPP access network users to cellular networks that use a different signaling protocol to carry authentication information.